Thawing device.



PATENTED FEB. 18,1908,

J. W. COOPER.

THAWING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1907.

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JOHN W. COOPER, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

THAWING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18, 1908.

Application filed May 13. 1907. Serial No. 373.508-

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. COOPER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of the cityof Seattle, in the county of King andState of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Thawing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for thawing frozenground so that it can be worked and properly treated to ex tract orestherefrom, and has for its primary object the provision of acomparatively simple construction which is heated by steam caused tocirculate therethrough.

A further object resides in the provision of a novel constructed throughthe medium of Which steam admitted into the body of the device can bedirected for discharge against the material in front of the workingpoint or caused to travel back through the body of the device to adischar e port positioned ad jacent the head or outer end portion of thedevice.

With the above and other desirable objects in view, to be referred to asthe description progresses, the invention resides in constructions,parts and combinations of parts here inafter described and succinctlydefined in the appended claims.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, in which like numerals ofreference indicate like parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 isa longitudinal section view of one of my improved devices. Fig. 2 is asection taken on line 22 thereof, and Fig. 3 is a view in perspectiveshowing a plurality of my devices in operation and coupled to receivesteam from a common source of supply, one of said devices beingillustrated as being but partly driven into the frozen earth.

My improved thawing device comprises an elongated body 1, provided onits outer portion with a head or impact part 1 and having a longitudinalsteam conduit 2, in communication at its outer end portion with an inletport 3 through which steam is admitted, as from a flexible pipe 1leading from a suitable source of supply (not shown). Conduit 2 extendsin proximity to the working point 5 of the device and is connected by ashort cross conduit 6 with a return conduit 7 which is provided with anoutlet port 8, at a point substantially opposite port 3.

Reference numeral 9 indicates a conduit communicating with conduit 6 andextend ing through working point 5 so as to direct steam for dischargein front thereof to thaw the frozen ground, and a ball valve 10 isarranged in said conduit 9 to control the fiow of steam therethrough.Valve 10 is held against its seat 11, by a coil spring 12 whose strengthis such, as to prevent steam undera predetermined pressure escapingthrough conduit 9 when valve 12 in outlet port 8 is open.

Suitable outwardly projecting nipples, are provided in ports 3 and 8 towhich flexible pipes 4 and 15 are secured. Pipes 15, as will beobserved, extend from the outlet port of one device to the inlet port ofthe next one, so that steam after having circulated through one devicecan be caused to travel through any number of additional devices, aswill readily be understood.

In operation, one of the devices is forced into the earth by blows froma sledge or the like delivered on head or impact part 1, valve 12 beingclosed so that the steam will be allowed to flow through conduit 6,until the device is driven well into the earth as illustrated in Fig. 3,then another device is started, this being coupled to the first deviceby a flexible pipe 15 and valve 12 in said first device is then opened50am the steam will flow from first device into the second device and bedischarged through conduit 6 thereof. This operation is continued withrespect to any additional devices, it being understood that the valve 12of a device is kept closed until the device is driven approximately itslength into the material being thawed, then said valve is opened so thatsteam circulating through'said device, instead of passing throughconduit 6 will escape through outlet port 8 into the next device. Inthis manner, a number of devices after having been driven home, can bemaintained in a heated condition for any desired period of time. Point 5is preferably removably secured to body 1, as

shown, so that it can be readily replaced when broken or worn.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States of America,

1. A device of the character described comprising an elongated bodyprovided with a working point and having an impact part at its outerportion, said body being formed with inlet and outlet ports and aconduit extending from said inlet port to said outlet 2. A device of thecharacter described com prising an elongated body provided at its outerportion with an impact part and having a working point, said body beingformed with inlet and outlet ports, a conduit in communication with saidinlet and outlet ports and a'conduit extending through the working pointof said body and communicating with said first conduit at a pointbetween the inlet and outlet ports of said body, and a valve in saidlast named conduit, for the purpose specified. v

3. A device of the character described comprising an elongated bodyhaving a working point, and provided with a conduit extending throughsaid working point, and a valve in said conduit, said body being formedin its upper portion with inlet and outlet ports and having a conduit incommunication with said inlet and outlet ports in said body and withsaid first named conduit, for the purpose specified.

- 4. A device of the character described comprising an elongated bodyhaving a working point and provided with a conduit extending throughsaid working point, a spring pressed inwardly closing valve in saidconduit, said body being provided adjacent its outer end portion withinlet and outlet ports and having conduits leading therefrom to saidfirst named conduit, and a valve in said outlet port, for the purposespecified.

5. An apparatus of the character described comprising a plurality ofelongated bodies each having a working point and provided with inlet andoutlet ports, a pipe leading from the exhaust port of one of said bodiesto the inlet port of another, there being a conduit in each of saidbodies in communication with the inlet and outlet ports thereof andextending through its working point, and a valve in said conduit forcontrolling the flow of steam therethrough.

Signed at Seattle, Washington this 4th day i of May 1907.

JOHN W. COOPER.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. FILKINs, S. B. FOLEY.

